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| The Latest News from Your State Representative |
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| Please do not reply to this e-mail, as I am unable to respond to messages sent to this address. You can contact me directly at vgaydos@pahousegop.com or here. |
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As you know, our recent election was certainly unique. Apprehension over the process continues to exist and my office continues to receive calls and emails of constituents expressing their concerns. It is difficult for me to recall an election in which the public has been so involved and that is fantastic.
With each and every comment, I have an obligation to my constituents to ensure that all your voices are heard and that any allegation of impropriety in the election cycle is taken seriously and fully investigated. I have been a loud voice in Harrisburg supporting a review as well as a full-blown change in our election process to make the process more and more transparent.
Last week, the House approved House Resolution 1100. It directs the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to coordinate a risk-limiting audit of ballots canvassed in the 2020 general election.
A risk-limiting audit is a post-election audit to provide a statistical level of confidence that the outcome of an election is correct. The point of this is to show all Pennsylvanians that by conducting this audit, we will have conclusive evidence that the reported winners accurately reflect how voters marked their ballots. Please note, should there be any discrepancies they will be addressed. Georgia and Colorado just announced that they will be conducting risk-limiting audits.
The establishment of a bipartisan investigatory committee with subpoena power will enable legislators to gather the facts and work toward making sure our election process is sound and secure. Public sentiment and the volume of lawsuits filed both before and since the election tell us that investigatory action is in order.
I will continue to monitor reported incidents of voting-related misconduct. My colleagues and I will be using every legislative and legal tool at our disposal to ensure the rule of law and the integrity of our election.
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Sincerely,
Valerie Gaydos |
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Gaydos Votes in Favor of State Budget Bill
Rep. Gaydos voted with a majority of her House colleagues to advance a responsible, $32.1 billion budget.
In May, the House passed a budget that fully funded education for the year, while funding the rest of state government for five months. Last week, the House was able to pass a budget for Fiscal Year 2020-21 that does not borrow, does not cut vital services to those in need and does not raise taxes.
Gaydos continues to stand up for taxpayers. This budget contains modest reductions in state government operating costs which, in part comes through measures such as freezing the pay of state legislators as well as government employees.
In addition, K-12 education is fully funded and public health and safety for frontline workers are critical to the continued COVID-19 response. Total state spending will decrease by more than $760 million, or 2.1 % from last year, after adjusting for supplemental spending.
It all adds up to make this budget as fiscally responsible as possible while helping our constituents in their time of significant need.
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Gaydos Announces Grants for Area School Districts
Rep. Gaydos is pleased to announce that the Quaker Valley School District has been awarded funding totaling $84,322 from the Safe Schools Targeted Grant program.
The district will receive a $19,800 program grant, a $24,522 equipment grant and a $40,000 school police officer grant.
These grants fund a variety of different projects, including hiring school security officers, purchasing security-related technology, completing safety and security assessments, implementing violence prevention curricula, offering counseling services for students, and creating other programs to protect students.
In addition, Rep. Gaydos announced that the Parkway West Career and Technical Center will receive a $49,700 grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) for the purchase of new equipment aligned to training students in high demand occupations.
The purpose of the Career and Technical Education Equipment grant is to purchase equipment aligned with the needs of local employers for use in PDE-approved Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs and to provide hands-on training to students in those programs.
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Gaydos Supports House Resolution 1087
As a member of the House Health Committee, Rep. Gaydos and her colleagues unanimously approved House Resolution 1087 which would direct the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to conduct an audit of the data collection systems utilized by the Department of Health during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Gaydos is a co-sponsor of this legislation which now moves to the full House for consideration.
There have been numerous occasions where the information that has been published by the Pennsylvania Department of Health has turned out to be inaccurate or incomplete. This includes thousands of COVID-19 positive cases being removed from the daily totals, days where there were significant statistical anomalies in the data and finally the comingling of data according to the Centers of Disease and Control Prevention (CDC).
A comprehensive audit of the data, as seen in other states, will help to draw a clearer picture of what has occurred already and what we need to do to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in the future.
House Resolution 1087 now goes to the full House for consideration.
Gaydos strongly feels this is an excellent resolution and she commends the sponsor, Rep. Kate Klunk (R-York) for her hard work. Please click here to watch Rep. Gaydos’ explanation.
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Scam Alert!
If you receive a text message similar to the above photo, please disregard and do not respond or click the link. This is NOT a message from the Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office. In addition, the Federal Trade Commission suggests that you block such numbers to avoid scam attempts.
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Deadline Nears for Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program
Older adults and Pennsylvanians with disabilities have until Dec. 31 to apply for the state’s 2019 Property Tax/Rent Rebate program. Remember, assistance through my offices is always free. You need not pay a private firm for assistance.
The rebate program benefits eligible Pennsylvanians age 65 and older; widows and widowers age 50 and older; and people with disabilities age 18 and older. The income limit is $35,000 a year for homeowners and $15,000 annually for renters, and half of Social Security income is excluded.
For additional information and applications, click here, or contact my offices for assistance.
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Happy Thanksgiving!
For nearly four centuries, Americans have celebrated the spirit of thanksgiving. While this year has been quite different and more challenging than most, I hope we can all take the time to give thanks for the blessings we enjoy.
In honor of the Thanksgiving holiday on Nov. 26, state offices will be closed on Thursday, and my offices will also be closed on Friday, Nov. 27. PennDOT Driver License Centers will be closed Nov. 26-27 as well, though many services are available online at www.dmv.pa.gov.
From my family to yours, may you all have a safe, healthy and happy Thanksgiving.
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Gaydos Reminds You to ‘Shop Small’
With many small businesses struggling to survive the pandemic, now more than ever consumers are being encouraged to “shop small” in observance of Small Business Saturday on Nov. 28.
Launched by American Express in 2010, this day is celebrated each year on the Saturday after Thanksgiving to encourage people to support the small businesses that help drive the economies of our communities.
Learn more about Small Business Saturday here.
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Safety Tips for this Hunting Season
As you prepare to head out to our fields and forests, be sure to keep safety in mind. The Pennsylvania Game Commission offers these important tips:
Basic Safety
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Positively identify the target. Be sure you are shooting at legal game and not another hunter. And never shoot at sounds or movement. |
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Know your zone of fire and never shoot at game moving between you and someone else. |
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Wear the mandated amount of fluorescent orange clothing and use layers of clothing that wick moisture, insulate and block wind or rain to help keep you safe and comfortable. |
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Let someone know where you are hunting and when you will return. They should alert authorities if you do not return at the appointed time. |
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Carry a basic survival kit and know how to use it. |
Firearms Safety
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Handle all firearms as if they’re loaded. Never assume they are unloaded and double check to be sure. |
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Always point the muzzle in a safe direction and don’t put your finger on the trigger until you are ready to shoot.
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Unload and place your firearm on the ground before crossing a fence, log or other obstacle, or climbing a tree.
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Shoot only when a safe and adequate backstop exists. Don’t shoot at hard, flat surfaces, water or a target on the horizon. |
For more information, visit the Pennsylvania Game Commission website at www.pgc.pa.gov.
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Hunters Can Share Their Harvest
The state Department of Agriculture and Pennsylvania Game Commission are again encouraging hunters to consider sharing their deer harvest to provide thousands of pounds of venison to people in need.
Hunters Sharing the Harvest (HSH) is Pennsylvania’s venison donation program for hunters who share their extra venison via a statewide network of participating butchers to food pantries and community assistance centers across the Commonwealth. HSH has distributed 1.5 million pounds of donated venison since 1991. Last year brought record donations for the organization, resulting in more than 160,000 pounds of venison distributed to provide 822,000 meals to Pennsylvanians in need. On average, a single deer donated can provide up to 200 meals.
Hunters can donate all or part of a harvested deer by taking it to a participating processor, which will then distribute the ground venison to food banks and pantries. For more information, including a list of participating processors in the area, visit
www.ShareDeer.org.
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| Office Locations |
| District Office: |
| 1009 Beaver Grade Road, Suite 220, Moon Township, PA 15108 | Phone: (412) 262-3780, Fax: (412) 262-3783 |
| Capitol Office: |
| Room 428, Irvis Office Building, House Box 202044, Harrisburg PA 17120-2044 | Phone: (717) 787-6651 | |
| Email: vgaydos@pahousegop.com |
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